Suspicious Thursday morning fire destroys car on Jessie Street
March 26, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Just after 2 a.m. on Thursday, fire crews arrived at a car fire near a north end Fort Erie home and extinguished it before it spread, but police are now treating the incident as suspicious and are asking the public for help.
The vehicle on Jessie Street was completely destroyed. Damage did not extend beyond the single car, and no injuries were reported, Fire Chief Mark Schmitt told Fort Erie Radio.
“Niagara Regional Police are actively investigating the circumstances leading up to the fire,” said Schmitt.
Detectives are now searching for security camera footage from the Jessie Street area.
Constable Rich Hingley told Fort Erie Radio in an emailed response that investigators believe the fire was an isolated incident.
“They believe this to be an isolated incident with no ongoing risk to public safety,” said Hingley.
In November 2025, police investigated a burning vehicle near Gilmore and Ridgemount roads and determined it had been intentionally set. That vehicle, believed to be a stolen 2013 orange Hyundai Veloster with front-end damage, was also handled by the 5 District Criminal Investigations Bureau.
Anyone with security video from the Jessie Street area is asked to contact Niagara Regional Police at (905) 688-4111, option 3.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers of Niagara at (800) 222-8477 or online.
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Andrew Hawlitzky
Andrew is a Niagara community journalist who has covered everything from local politics to annual festivals and breaking news. He works to make local news a platform where community voices lead the conversation. "If you don't like the news, go out and make some!"
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